The Perkins Pediatric Clinc

11/28/2024

I’ve truely been blessed over the last 22 years by friends, patients, parents and family.
I want to take a moment to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate the trust that families put in me. Thank you all for that. I’ve watched so many grow and develop from birth into young adults. Each and every one of you hold a place in my heart, and a special memory of you occupies my thoughts.
My wish for you, all of you, is to take a break from your busy lives and slow down. Enjoy time with your children and families with play, laughter and being joyous. Put aside your worries and give them to God. Relax for a few moments.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2024

10/10/2024

07/18/2024

As the SUMMER comes to an end, as parents, it is time to start thinking of SCHOOL (some schools start as early as August 8th). I know everyone with children in school have been getting supplies and teachers prepared. Let me remind you of some other things to think about: IMMUNIZATIONS (are they up to date), SPORTS PHYSICALS, CHECKUPS, ADD/ADHD RESTART. We have availabilities, MORNINGS and AFTERNOONS, MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8AM to 12PM and 1 PM to 5PM. CALL 337-462-6000 to set up an appointment TODAY! I do hope that everyone has had a GREAT Summer.

Call now to connect with business.

06/12/2024

Is there anyone in Deridder that can do jewelry appraisal???

05/24/2024

Your child's medical care should be specialized. What do I mean, the MD/DO should have been trained in PEDIATRICS and ideally have years of experience. Not an urgent care worker (many are generalized nurse practitioners or physician assistants) or even most ER physicians (as they are not specialized in PEDIATRICS). You should not see any healthcare type if they allow themselves to be called a specialist unless they have had FULL training in that specialty. In this case, a PEDIATRICIAN (a specialist with 3 full years or more in a PEDIATRIC specialty program). I am a Board Eligible PEDIATRICIAN with 33 years of experience. I have seen many illnesses over the years and provided healthy checkups, as well. I am seeing grandchildren from some of my original patients. As a PEDIATRIC specialist, we can quickly identify what is making your child ill or get them to another specialist. We do a lot of educating parents/patients on prevention/treatment/healthy lifestyles. We see/treat thousands of ear infections over the years but know that one rare presentation that may require a sub-specialist in ear conditions. That is what a child requires, not someone who guesses at a diagnosis and happens to get ‘lucky’. We specialize in infants, children, and teens and that is all that we do. YOUR CHILDREN DESERVE THE BEST. Call us at 337-462-6000 to schedule a visit. We are always accepting new patients and welcoming old patients back. We are next door to Ideal Healthmart Pharmacy @ 614 North Pine St.

05/12/2024

My Turn…Happy Mother’s Day Shannon Perkins, the most incredible lady that I know. Oh sure, I’m partial. But all things aside, she not only gave her Mother’s day the boot but sent flowers to select friends. As alluded to above, she agreed to go to the funeral of her ex because she was asked to by her son to offer support for him. Not sure I’d do that. I digress. What did she get out of all that, SMILES, HUGS, 🥰🥰🥰🥰, Inclusion, SMILES, and the LOVE of her kids, family. She IS the most caring woman I know. It took everything out of her physically. I L💕VE SO MUCH.

04/10/2024

04/04/2024

Let's talk about BUG BITES and STINGS, including skin reactions, when to seek medical care, proper at-home care, stinger and tick removal, and insect repellent. 🦟

Bug bites cause red, swollen, itchy, or painful bumps. Fortunately, they usually go away all on their own without problem. To be honest, identifying WHICH bug caused the bite is not very important. 🤷‍♀️ Knowing what to do and when to get help is key.

Bites and stings result in redness and swelling. This is caused by the body’s normal reaction to insect saliva or venom – it does NOT necessarily mean that your child has an allergy. Swelling may get worse over the first 48 hours and can last for up to a week. ⏳ Redness can persist for several days. Mild reactions to bug bites include sneezing, itchy nose, or even mild hives – Benadryl taken by mouth can be helpful.

Signs of a SERIOUS allergic reaction to a bite or sting include rapid-onset shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, pale skin, fainting, tight throat, trouble breathing, swelling of lips or tongue, severe hives, and/or confusion. These children need a shot of epinephrine ASAP. Call 911 right away. 🚑 Long-term immunotherapy (allergy shots) may be necessary.

You should also seek out medical care if your child has fever for greater than 4 days in a row, confusion, a target-shaped (“bulls-eye”) rash, severe headache, neck stiffness, joint pain/swelling, drooping of the face, body aches, severe belly pain, persistent nausea/vomiting, or concern for dehydration (ie urinating less than 3 times per day). These could be signs of insect-related disease such as Lyme, West Nile, or Zika.

Cellulitis (skin infection) can occur following a bug bite/sting, especially if your child has been aggressively scratching the area. This requires antibiotics. 💊 Symptoms include worsening pain, warmth, redness, tenderness, and swelling that typically occurs at least 2 days AFTER the initial bite/sting. Cellulitis does NOT happen immediately – remember that the immediate inflammatory reaction is normal. With cellulitis, red streaks may appear near the bite, and skin may appear smooth and shiny. Get checked out right away if fever, chills, or swollen lymph nodes develop.

Otherwise, bug bites don’t need any special attention. To relieve pain, you can apply cold packs (for up to 20 minutes at a time) or an occasional dose of Tylenol or ibuprofen. For itching, over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion can be helpful. Benadryl cream can be applied to the skin, but I find that taking it by mouth usually works better. Covering the bite with a bandage may reduce the urge to scratch. I don’t typically recommend antibiotic ointment (given the risk of a secondary skin reaction), but frequent washing with soap and water is wise. 🛀

When dealing with a sting, remove the stinger as soon as possible to prevent ongoing venom release. 🐝 Scrape the little black stinger away with a credit card, then clean the area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. You can try rubbing baking soda paste (just a mix of baking soda and water) on a sting to neutralize the venom and reduce pain/swelling.

What about ticks? Ticks are commonly found in wooded areas and tall grass. They can hide in the hair or under clothing, so make sure to check your children carefully. When attempting to remove a tick, do not use matches, lighters, or nail polish remover. 🚫 Grasp the tick near the head with tweezers and gently pull straight out. Rest assured that a tick must stay attached for at least 24 hours in order to transmit disease such as Lyme.

Fire ants are common in the southern states. 🐜 Burning pain occurs right away, followed by swelling and redness. Tiny blisters/pimples often appear the next day. Do not pop them. It is normal for bites to remain tender, red, and swollen for several days.

As far as repellent, DEET is my #1 go-to because it’s been around for over 60 years and has been proven safe and effective against a wide range of insects including mosquitoes, biting midges (“no-see-ums”), chiggers, fleas, gnats, and ticks. Brand names include Off, Repel, and Cutter insect sprays.

According to the AAP, DEET products are safe starting at 2 months and up. You can apply 10-30% DEET products directly to exposed skin and clothing, but don’t apply it underneath clothes. The 30% strength will protect for up to 5 hours while the 10% strength lasts roughly 2 hours. Choose the lowest concentration necessary to provide the required duration of protection. ⏱

Other tips to keep insects at bay:

• Avoid scented soaps, perfumes and hairspray.
• Avoid areas where insects congregate such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered food, and gardens where flowers are in bloom.
• If possible, eliminate stagnant water (such as in bird baths, pools, planters, or fish ponds) in your yard. Dump any buckets or tires that contain standing water. 💦 Check that your window screens are tightly fitted and repair any holes to keep bugs out of the house.
• For children less than 2 months old, use mosquito netting with an elastic edge around your stroller or baby carrier.
• When using sprays, do not spray directly into face; spray on hands first and then apply to face, avoiding the eyes and mouth. Apply in a well-ventilated area away from exposed food.
• Do not apply repellent to your child’s hands because they are likely to put their hands in their mouths.
• When bugs are an issue, avoid dressing your child in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints.
• Cover up with long sleeved shirts, pants, and socks to prevent bites at night. Add on a hat to protect against ticks when walking in woods, high grasses, or bushes.
• Don’t forget to check for ticks and wash off once you’re done being outside for the day. 🛀

Feel free to check out my "Insect Repellent" page on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wWSA9S (affiliate link)

Primary Source: Nguyen Q-BD, Vu M-AN, Hebert AA, Insect Repellents: An Updated Review for the Clinician, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2018)

I hope this helps as you venture outdoors! ❤️

04/02/2024

Is your child getting enough Vitamin C? Scurvy isn't just a disease of pirates... I've seen multiple children with it, too. 😳

The body requires vitamin C to maintain healthy blood vessels, cartilage, muscles, and bones. 🦴 It helps tissues heal while acting as a natural antioxidant and immune-booster.

When the body becomes deficient in vitamin C, symptoms such as fatigue and refusal to walk may arise. Other symptoms include red dots (petechiae) on the skin, coiled hair, easy bruising, poor wound healing, and swelling of the arms or legs. Gums can become swollen and may easily bleed. Some develop joint pain, muscle soreness, and anemia.

Vitamin C is found in certain foods that we eat such as citrus fruits (like oranges 🍊 or grapefruit), kiwi, strawberries, cantaloupe, red or green peppers, broccoli, baked potatoes, tomatoes. It's also found in formula and other foods/beverages fortified with vitamin C. 🍼 Breastmilk will provide sufficient amounts as long as mother is getting enough of it, too!

Children with extremely picky diets are at high risk of vitamin deficiencies in general. If you have a picky eater on your hands, consider adding a daily multivitamin. There are several options out there. I always loved the Flintstones Complete Chewables growing up and I still recommend them to this day for children 2 years and up. For babies and young toddlers, I've had luck with Poly-vi-sol by Enfamil and Multivitamin drops by Novaferrum. Never hurts to pick something with Iron and Vitamin D as well. 🥰

03/03/2024

Car seat safety check! 🚙 The latest recommendations are as follows:

1.) Babies and toddlers should ride in a REAR-facing car seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer. 👶 The longer, the better! Most convertible seats can be rear-facing up to at least 40 lbs, which makes them a great purchase option. It’s OK for feet to touch the back of the vehicle seat.

2.) Once they outgrow the rear-facing seat, your child should ride in a FORWARD-facing car seat until they once again reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer. 🚗 Car seats reduce the risk of injury by up to 82% and reduce the risk of death by 28% compared to seat belts alone.

3.) Upgrade your child to a belt-positioning BOOSTER seat next. 👦 Booster seats reduce the risk of injury by 45% compared to seat belts alone.

4.) Your child is ready to graduate from the booster seat once he or she reaches a height of 4’9” AND can sit flat against the back of the seat with knees bent at 90 degrees over the edge. The lap belt should lie low across the hips and the shoulder belt should rest across the middle of your child's chest (not touching the neck or face). ⚠️

5.) Children ideally shouldn’t sit in the front seat until 13 years of age. That’s right, kids should stay in the back of the vehicle until their TEEN years.

Please note proper placement of shoulder straps. ‼️ For rear-facing car seats, the shoulder straps should come through the car seat slots at or just BELOW your child’s shoulders. For forward-facing seats, the shoulder straps should be at or just ABOVE the shoulders.

Make sure that harness straps are snug enough so that you cannot pinch any excess strap material... no slack allowed. Slide the chest clip up to armpit level. Avoid wearing puffy coats or fluffy blankets between the body and the harness straps. 🙅

Lastly, it's okay for babies to fall asleep in the car seat WHILE driving, but once you reach your destination, the child should be taken out of their car seat and moved to a firm, flat sleeping surface.

Every caregiver should know this information. It saves lives!